


a little understanding goes a long way

by steviesfreckles



Series: Bits And Pieces [3]
Category: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec has the patience of a fucking saint, Homophobia, I could have tried to make them in character and altered it a little but I'm lazy, Other, everyone is ooc because its not made up, it is what it is, this whole series is based off of my life experiences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21862234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steviesfreckles/pseuds/steviesfreckles
Summary: Maryse has questions about Alec being gay.Maryse doesn't think she's homophobic, she just doesn't get it.Alec has the patience of a fucking saint.
Relationships: Alec Lightwood & Maryse Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Bits And Pieces [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568008
Kudos: 70





	a little understanding goes a long way

**Author's Note:**

> if you want to yell at me about my writing, feel free to do so on twitter @gigidarling_, on snapchat @deviantofnormal, or Tumblr @deathofsirens

Alec is laid out diagonally across his mother’s bed. His feet hang off the queen size mattress. The wine-colored comforter is soft against his skin and for a moment he contemplates purchasing something even half as nice as this to replace his grey cotton one. He instantly dismisses it; His saving habits have too tight of a hold on his bank account to spend anything more than what he could buy at the thrift store more often than not.

He pulls his phone out of his back pocket and swipes through Instagram. It was a couple of months ago that he became acquainted with mundane technology, but after Magnus insisted that he have something that could run apps so he could snapchat Alec, he gave in. It was a ridiculous amount of money but when Magnus asked for something, Alec seemed to be unable to refuse him. There was something nice about it though, to be able to communicate through pictures and always have a way to get ahold of Magnus and Izzy. He loved the silly faces and fun filters that Magnus sent him.

He also really liked being able to see pictures of people and keep up with little mundane idiosyncrasies. He knows that it doesn’t actually matter what celebrity is fighting with who and what’s happening outside the shadow world but as it turns out he’s a bit of a high school gossip, especially since Magnus kept up on it too. He reigns in his thoughts. Alec is very aware of his and Magnus’s Thing with a capital T but they’re just friends who flirt so he needs to get a handle on himself before he goes crazy. He keeps scrolling to distract himself.

His eye catches on an Instagram picture of a singer he’s fond of at the VMAs. A crisp navy suit and a grey bowtie bestowed the sort of classic style Alec wished he could pull off. Well, he supposes he could but he didn’t have the funds to wear something so expensive, nor did he have a reason to wear it even if he owned such a suit. It was fun to pretend though. Alec found himself doing that a lot more after he had come out to his family, letting loose and enjoying stupid things.

Somehow, during a lull in the meaningless chatter between him and his mother, she asks him what he’s doing. She asks him why he’s spending so much time looking at a screen when it doesn’t have anything to do with demons or fighting or anything but simple mundane pleasures. His mouth is open and he is telling her about the stupid picture on his phone screen. “I know it's pointless to be invested, but this guy is pretty cool. His name is Ben Platt. He’s kind and devotes a lot of his time to helping people even though he’s a celebrity and he’s handsome too. I know he’s mundane and all, but I really admire him.”

Maryse’s spine straightens like she’s bracing for something. Damn it. Alec should have known that this was going to happen. She looks stiff while she delicately applies her lipstick, her body language and hand movements clashing.

“Where do you get away with looking at men like that?” Her voice is curious.

Alec only barely contains his incredulousness. “I’m sorry?”

“I just mean, you and Isabelle are firm believers in the feminist liberal whatever movement and Im just curious as to where you draw the line between being appropriate and where you start looking at other men like those guys you hate so much look at women?” Her voice is genuine despite her unbearably bigoted words.

It makes Alec want to tear his hair out but that would be incredibly impolite so he just runs his fingers through it instead.

Alec takes a deep breath and collects his thoughts. He wants to reward his mother for intentionally asking instead of just stewing about it. Alec would much rather have Maryse ask a stupid question than have her continue with a misguided thought process. 

“Probably because I’m not attracted to every man on the face of the planet,” His words hold a bit of bite and he tries to salvage his statement, “Just because I think someone is handsome or whatever doesn’t mean that I want to date them or anything else.”

His mom stares straight into the mirror and pokes at her hair, putting in more pins and trying to smooth the fuzzy bits. He knows her enough to be certain that she’s not ready to respond yet, too busy chewing on the information he’s already given her.

“I mean, gay relationships aren’t inherently sexual. When I date someone it's because I want to hold their hand and snuggle on the couch while they complain about the fact that my feet are cold when we watch a really terrible movie,” Alec wants her to understand what he’s trying to say. He wants her to see things through his eyes and it's so hard not to sound desperate. “It’s not really about sex, it’s a part of it, but that’s not the whole thing.”

Alec waits for her to digest the words he’s said. She pauses her nervous primping and it makes Alec jabber on anxiously, like there’s only so many frayed nerves in the world, so they’re passing them back and forth, like some really awful version of hot potato.

“I suppose it's because the media portrays it that way, all sex scenes and a whole genre in porn,” Alec can’t help the speed of his words, tumbling out of his mouth like a waterfall of nervous chatter.

  
“When you say two people are dating, your thoughts go to dinner and movie theater dates, but the second you mention its two guys or two girls it becomes dirty sex stuff and we’re the exact same as all those other couples that you first think of,” Alec makes an effort to slow down on the last statement, hoping that it’s the one that gets through to her if none of his other words have, “not dirty or gross or anything else. We’re the same.”

She goes back to fixing herself. “Well that can’t be entirely true,” Maryse sounds so sure of herself and it makes Alec tense like a fist is flying towards his face.

“When I first started hunting in New York, there were two women who were _homosexuals_ ,” she spits the word like it’s sour in her mouth, “and all they did was talk about sex.”

The fist Alec was bracing for lands and his patience wears through. “Yeah mom,” his voice seething. “I’m sure that two lesbians from 35 years ago speak for the whole community from then until forever.”

Her face goes red. With nothing left to say she cleans up her makeup and leaves for work.


End file.
